Law & Order has showcased many actors coming and going throughout its run, which will continue with Season 26 this fall on the 2026 TV schedule. Among the large ensemble cast at one point was Jesse L. Martin, who starred in Seasons 10-18 in the breakout role of Detective Ed Green. He recently talked about how he landed it, with a little bit of inside info coming into play.
Martin was on the mothership drama from 1999 to 2008, and also appeared on SVU and Criminal Intent, making him one of the longest-running Law & Order actors, and Detective Green was only his second main television role, following the short-lived Fox drama 413 Hope St. in 1997. Law & Order came by word of mouth when he heard from an old friend that the cast was changing up following Benjamin Bratt’s departure as Junior Detective Rey Curtis. That news made Martin motivated to nab the opening spot himself, as he recalled to People. Here's how he said his buddy presented that info to him:
